The House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote to
Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday, requesting by November 4, all documents and communications related to the investigation into the
Washington Football Team‘s workplace culture, the Associated Press reported.
“We have serious concerns about what appears to be
widespread abusive workplace conduct at the WFT and about the NFL‘s handling of
this matter,” U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, chairperson of the Committee
on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairperson of the
Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, wrote in the letter to the
commissioner.
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“Communications between league management and WFT
leadership also raise questions about the league’s asserted impartiality in
these investigations.”
“The NFL’s lack of transparency about the problems it
recently uncovered raise questions about the seriousness with which it has
addressed bigotry, racism, sexism, and homophobia — setting troubling precedent
for other workplaces.”
According to NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, the league has
received the letter and shares the committee’s “concern that all
workplaces should be free from any form of harassment and discrimination. We
look forward to speaking to her office soon.”
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The Washington Football Team’s investigation has
come under fresh scrutiny after The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times that
investigators found as part of their work — some of which featured racist,
homophobic, and sexist language.
The emails, which date from 2011 to 2018, mostly
concern former Washington executive Bruce Allen and former ESPN
broadcaster Jon Gruden. Gruden went on to become the head coach of the Raiders
in Las Vegas, where he received a $100 million deal. When the emails were
discovered, he resigned from his position earlier this month.
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The New York Times reported another batch of emails
exchanged between Allen and NFL general counsel Jeff Pash on topics ranging
from jokes about the league’s diversity programmes, cutting player pay and
lowering a fine from the NFL.